Monday, January 27, 2014

Outfits

Sunday
I went to the mall wearing a oversized Pink Floyd tee I got thrift, black leggings, and a striped beanie I also got from my favorite thrift store. For jewelry, I wore a bird cage necklace I bought from Pier One in about sixth grade.
Tuesday
*I had no school Monday
I wore an N'Sync tee I got from thrift with hound tooth leggings I got from Annie Sez. I then put on a collar necklace I bought from a consignment store in my town. For my hair, I put it up in a ponytail and left my fringe out.
Thursday
*There was a snow day on Wednesday
I put on a black tank top with a Bring Me The Horizon cardigan Maggie gave me (she bought it from Hot Topic) on the bottom, I wore black leggings. I then put on my bird cage necklace.
Friday
(I forgot to take a picture)
I put on black leggings (I was in a leggings mood this week) with a Buffy The Vampire Slayer tee Maggie Gave me.
Saturday
I ended up wearing leggings and my Paramore "Grow Up" tee I got for Hannukah (it is from Hot Topic).
-Ann




Friday, January 24, 2014

The Dos and Don'ts Of Helping Someone During A Panic Attack

Excuse my crude drawing but this is something really important that really needs to be talked about. I have panic and anxiety attacks on a weekly (sometimes even daily) basis and they are normally in public for that is when I am usually in my biggest state of panic or anxiety. Being around others can make the attack even worse for some people don't know what to do while I am going through this. I am not saying that these people are bad or anything. I am sure they have good intentions but just aren't used to these kinds of scenarios. Here, I have created a list of dos and don'ts of what you should do when helping someone during a state of panic. Remember: I am not a professional and though I know from my own experience and research, I am not able to fully cure a panic or anxiety attack.
Do:
Try and understand the situation. This DOES NOT mean press the person for questions but at least try and figure out what is causing this person to panic. Even if you don't get it fully, tell this person that you understand how they must be feeing. A lot of the time, I get really upset for I feel as though my emotions are stupid and as though I am just blowing everything out of proportion.
Don't
Do not joke around. One time, I had a panic attack on my friend's bed while another friend was over and the two of them just kind of began joking around about me having an attack and almost making fun of the things I had told them about what panic is. I did not tell this story so I could rant about how thoughtless they were acting (they are lovely people just a little clueless when it comes to this) but to say that I felt really terrible that my friends didn't realize how serious this was.
Do:
If this person is in a crowded room, tell people to back away and take the person out of the situation. No one likes being crowded around especially in a situation like this. If there is not another room this person can go into, inform people what is going on and clear out the space around the person having a panic attack.
Don't
NEVER tell someone having a panic or anxiety attack to "just calm down". Breaking this sentence down, every word counts. The use of the word just is extremely impactful. "JUST calm down." as though calming down is some extremely easy activity to do when you're brain is rushing and you're in such a state of panic. You should help this person calm down but merely telling them to will not just do nothing but hurt them even more.
Do:
Ask the person if there is anything you can do to help them. Sometimes, the thing this person needs the most is just to be left alone. If this person just wants their space, respect that and leave them alone. In some cases, the most helpful thing you can do is leave.
Don't:
I realize that someone breaking down like this can be rather frightening but saying that out loud to your friend who is going through this attack can make their experience even scarier. What you have to realize is that this person is going through a lot all at once and really shouldn't be focusing on what their friends and the people around them are saying. If you are scared, though you shouldn't be, get someone that can actually help instead of making it worse.
Do:
Tell this person you're here for them. A lot of times, people really don't feel as though others care for them. Telling someone this can really make a person feel better.
Don't:
Don't ever tell a person going through an anxiety or panic attack that it is nothing or what they're feeling is stupid. Though anxiety attacks only last for a few minutes, so much goes through you when you are having one. Though it may be hard to put yourself in the shoes of this said person, telling them that their feelings are invalid is not the way to go.

These are just a few things that are really important to learn about what to do when someone around you is having one of these attacks. To learn more about them, I suggest going to Psych Central.com I also have an amazing song the lovely, Peej Liguori covered that really gives you a good understanding of what an anxiety attack is.
-Ann

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Thunder Cats Are Go (The "Juno" Soundtrack)

source
Though I am not a person who usually looks through movie soundtracks, there is just something about Michael Cera movies that the music is always amazing and "Juno" is no exception. The nineteen track album is mostly made up of Kimya Dawson though features Sonic Youth, Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, and many others. I absolutely love this soundtrack for every song on it is so calm and raw. One of my favorite tracks on it would have to be Kimya Dawson's "Tire Swing" for it was so lighthearted and almost dreamy. Not only is the soundtrack just plain amazing listening to it alone, but along with the movie, it brings so much to it. The songs featured in the film capture the lighthearted yet sad at times feeling it gives off. Every single song has some sort of significance to the movie and show the pain of being stuck in an adult situation when you are so young. I also can't help but be in love with the last track on the album and the last scene in the movie where Juno (Ellen Page) and Paulie (Michael Cera) sit down on the front steps with a guitar singing an adorable cover of Anyone Else But You by The Moldy Peaches. This scene and song was not only an adorable way to end a teenage romance but also such an amazing song for the two of them to sing. It captures the awkwardness and love the two of them have for each other and both Ellen and Michael sang it with the best emotion possible. All in all, the "Juno" soundtrack is probably one of the best collection of songs I have ever heard put together for a film.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Outfits

Monday
I wore a Bettie Paige graphic tee that I got from the Forever21 guys section and two year old red shorts I probably got from Macy's with black leggings I wore under them. I then put on a chunky necklace I bought from one of the consignment stores in my town.
Tuesday
I went with wearing a big flannel I took from my grandpa's closet over a Forever21 camisole. On bottom, I wore a black H&M circle skirt and patterned tights I think I got from Wet Seal (that one time I went there). For my hair, I put it up in a ponytail (yes, my hair is long enough for that) and took my fringe and a piece of the right side out.
Wednesday
I brought out my favorite black skirt again (I bought it at Forever21) with a Pierce The Veil tee my friend, Nate, bought me for Secret Santa (he got it from Hot Topic). It was a pretty simple outfit for I really felt like just wearing something simple and comfortable that day.
Thursday
I wore a flowy purple shirt my cousin gave me tucked into a floral skirt I got thrift. Under it, I put on a pair of red tights. For jewelry, I wore my favorite collar necklace I got from a consignment store in my town. I felt rather cute in this to be honest.




Friday
I put on a Jason Wu cat shirt on with my Sex Pistols leggings I got from Hot Topic for they were having a major clearance sale.
Saturday
Saturday was a lazy day just hanging out with my cousin, Maggie, at my grandma's house so I just put on a yellow tank top with fringe at the bottom (I bought it from my favorite thrift shop) with my Ramones leggings (also Hot Topic). Please excuse the lame mirror selfies.
-Ann


Friday, January 17, 2014

Truth Photoshoot


 Hey guys! So I recently did a photoshoot with my beautiful friend Adison, so I'm here to post the results. My last two photoshoots were very colorful, but this one is pretty stark, and most of the pictures are black and white. I just feel like black and white photos are so subtle but send out a very powerful message. I called the photoshoot Truth (I changed the title about five times), because like black and white photos, the truth can be very blunt and stark. Okay, here are the results!! ~Ava





Monday, January 13, 2014

Outfits

Monday
I wore black leggings under a pair of black shorts I got from my cousin. On top, I wore a My Chemical Romance "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge" tee I got from Hot Topic (God am I punk rock)
Tuesday
I went with a Doctor Who (10th Doctor) tee that Maggie also gave me with a black circle skirt I got from that one time I went to H&M with black tights underneath. For my hair, I put all of it except for my fringe in a ponytail (yes my hair is long enough for that) and then twisted the fringe and clipped it back. I actually felt real pretty that day.
Wednesday
I looked like a serious common white girl with jean shorts that Maggie gave me, red tights, a camisole I bought from Forever21 in sixth grade (though I don't LOVE Forever21 these tank tops are super cheap and last forever) and a long cardigan I bought at my favorite consignment store last year. I then put a silver collar necklace I bought from another consignment store in my town. For makeup, I went simple with just eyeliner and concealer (it may or may not have been since I woke up twenty minutes late).
*I was sick Thursday*
Friday
I wore a tank top that said "Pug Life" that I stole from my best friend, Vivi, that she got from Urban Outfitters-I think. Since I was lazy, I put black leggings under it and wore a necklace I bought from a consignment store in my town. 


-Ann